One rep wins without contributions

JEFFERSON CITY — It took three tries, but state Rep. Brent Lasater finally won a Missouri House seat last year while refusing all campaign contributions and spending less than $1,000.

Lasater, R-Independence, remains the only freshman member of the House who has not formed a campaign committee to collect money for his re-election. And he said he will not solicit or accept any contributions from his constituents, lobbyists, or the Republican Party.

“I believe our economy is struggling,” said Lasater, a retired truck driver who is friendly to unions and maintains that he feels complete freedom to vote his conscience on any bill. “For me to be asking for people’s money, I can’t justify that.”

Twice Lasater challenged incumbent Democratic Rep. Curt Dougherty, scoring just more than one-third of the votes in 2006 and 2008. When the seat became open because of term limits, Lasater won with 55.7 percent of the vote in a district he was told could never be won by a Republican.

“They are calling me a fluke,” Lasater said. “But I worked hard for two elections. It took a lot of tennis shoe power.”

Since arriving in office, Lasater said, he has become convinced he has taken the right course. “I have seen what happens at contributor parties,” he said. “I think it is wrong. When you take money from someone, you owe them, you are tied to them.”

Republicans in the Missouri House have developed a hugely successful fundraising machine to maintain their majority. Last year, the House Republican Campaign Committee raised and spent $3.2 million. Since closing the books on that election, the committee has raised almost $250,000 more.

The committee can provide massive help in an election, but that help comes with strings, Lasater said. “Since most of” Republican members “have taken thousands and are raising thousands” for the committee, “they feel an obligation to vote the way the leadership wants.”

Lasater said he will continue to rely on his tennis shoes and refuse offers of help. “I’ve told them you can’t jump in now and change things up,” he said. “I got in in a certain way, and that is how I will stay in.”